Jamie Redknapp has launched a scathing attack on Tottenham Hotspur, claiming they have become a 'brilliant entertainment business' rather than a serious football club. The former Spurs midfielder said the club would 'deserve' relegation if they were to drop into the Championship.
Speaking after Tottenham's defeat at Chelsea on Tuesday night, Redknapp criticised the club's priorities, pointing to their use of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for NFL games, concerts and boxing events. 'Everything is in place - incredible fanbase, amazing stadium, amazing training ground, but if you haven't got the players to fill that,' he told Sky Sports.
'I said it last year, Tottenham has become a brilliant entertainment business. They get the best American Football, they get Beyonce, but it's the only club that does that. And everyone says 'oh that's great business', but it's a football club. In England we do football, we don't do the American-style entertainment.'
Redknapp, who played for Tottenham between 2002 and 2005, accused the club of lacking ambition and blamed the owners for the club's decline. 'If they do get relegated it's nothing more than they deserve,' he said. 'They've been awful all season. It's not right to blame Thomas Frank, it's not right to blame Igor Tudor, the people that employed them are those you should be looking at because they haven't worked out.'
Tottenham are two points above the relegation zone with one game remaining, needing a win against Everton to secure their Premier League status. Redknapp expressed concern over their poor home form, saying they have 'had no quality and no character to win a football match'.
